Just how sick do dogs get, anyway?
I am home sick. Again. In addition to hobbling through life (at which I am notably improving), I seem to now be suffering my second illness in just over a week. Last week's malaise cleared up just in time for this week's hideous cold. I finally gave up and stayed home from work today, after sleeping through the alarm I'd set on my phone, waking up with a start at 8:00 when something mysteriously fell down somewhere in the house (never have figured out what), sitting in the chair for 45 minutes trying to convince myself that I was starting to feel better, eating some breakfast and drinking a cup of coffee in an attempt to do more convincing, and failing miserably in both attempts. Hello? Immune system? Are you listening? Buck up!!
This all got me wondering about the origin of the expression "sick as a dog." I mean, just how sick do dogs get, anyway? Is it really that much more sick than any other animal? Here is a bit on the origins of the phrase, though it doesn't really offer that much clarification, other than essentially to say that the dog is a poor maligned beast, and this is yet another example of it. The part that I found most amusing were the historical alternative phrases. Sick as a horse. Sick as a rat. Sick as a parrot (yes, you read right). And, my personal favorite, sick as a Cushion. I really think I should incorporate that one into my repetoire. Y'all, I am sick as a Cushion. Send chicken soup.
But thanks to the beauty of the laptop and wireless internet connetion, I can blog from bed. Just as a Cushion might. Aha! The aptness of the phrase is becoming clear to me now.
Well, what better time to provide a knitting update, right? I haven't accomplished much knitting this week, but last weekend was a great one. Imagine my delight at spending not one but TWO lovely afternoons knitting, one with each of my beloved knitting groups.
Saturday afternoon was the first time that I'd managed to hook up with my Stitch n Bitch group in ages. There was just a small group of four that got together - Piper, Erika, Brooke, and me - all at Piper's house, and it was wonderful to see each other and spend a couple hours working on our knitting projects. In keeping with my resolve, when I wasn't eating the wonderful food that Piper had on offer, I spent my time weaving in yarn tails on the second Primary Children's Hospital charity afghan. I got quite a few done (though admittedly there are probably 50 still to go.)
Sunday was a very special knit-together indeed. For over a year now, I've had the good luck to gather and knit on a weekly basis at my LYS with one of the most marvelous groups of people. Now, obviously, knitters tend to be a great bunch of people in general, but these folks have always far outstripped my expectations by invariably being cool, funny, smart, enthusiastic, irreverant, and supportive, just to throw a few of their many positive attributes around.
Some of The Regulars wish Kim farewell
On Sunday we all came together to bid farewell to one of our own. Kim will very soon beabandoning us moving to Colorado, and so as many of us that could be there came together on Sunday to wish her well and let her know how much we're going to miss having her around. Kim even graciously hosted her very own party! As always when there is a potluck involved with this group, the food was divine. Good food, good conversation, gifts to be opened, and of course much knitting -- I can't really think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Kim -- you are going to be missed! I'm very glad you started your blog so that we can follow along with whatever knit-a-thon you institute next. After the great Christmas sock-a-thon of 2004 and now the baby-blanket-a-thon of 2005, I'm dying to see how you'll manage to up the ante next time. Elaborate fair isle sweaters for every member of your extended family in 2006? Heirloom quality counterpanes knitted on size 0 needles to cover king-size beds in 2007? Whatever it is, I know it will not fail to impress.
Speaking of which, here is a photo of Kim on the last leg of the baby-blanket-a-thon:
It's looking great, Kim!
The complete set of photos from our lovely afternoon can be seen here. Ah, why can't every day be as nice?
Oh, and I spent much of my afternoon subtly convincing my fellow knitters that they all need to knit themselves a Rogue, employing top secret Jedi knitting mind tricks like the one seen here:
I see that yourSchwarz hood is as big as mine
Note to self: the human head is bigger than you're thinking. When you pick up stitches for a hood, please don't delude yourself into thinking, "Hey, I'm almost done!" You most assuredly are not.
I leave you with a picture of the mountains near my home. They were looking so spectacularly beautiful as I drove home from Kim's house that I kept trying to take pictures of them while driving. Since I just kept pointing the camera in the general direction without looking through the viewfinder or anything, most of the pics failed miserably, but I thought this one conveyed a little bit of the sights I was enjoying. And I do solemnly swear that I will put the camera down and drive next time. But it was just so purty!
Above the Fruited Plains
This all got me wondering about the origin of the expression "sick as a dog." I mean, just how sick do dogs get, anyway? Is it really that much more sick than any other animal? Here is a bit on the origins of the phrase, though it doesn't really offer that much clarification, other than essentially to say that the dog is a poor maligned beast, and this is yet another example of it. The part that I found most amusing were the historical alternative phrases. Sick as a horse. Sick as a rat. Sick as a parrot (yes, you read right). And, my personal favorite, sick as a Cushion. I really think I should incorporate that one into my repetoire. Y'all, I am sick as a Cushion. Send chicken soup.
But thanks to the beauty of the laptop and wireless internet connetion, I can blog from bed. Just as a Cushion might. Aha! The aptness of the phrase is becoming clear to me now.
Well, what better time to provide a knitting update, right? I haven't accomplished much knitting this week, but last weekend was a great one. Imagine my delight at spending not one but TWO lovely afternoons knitting, one with each of my beloved knitting groups.
Saturday afternoon was the first time that I'd managed to hook up with my Stitch n Bitch group in ages. There was just a small group of four that got together - Piper, Erika, Brooke, and me - all at Piper's house, and it was wonderful to see each other and spend a couple hours working on our knitting projects. In keeping with my resolve, when I wasn't eating the wonderful food that Piper had on offer, I spent my time weaving in yarn tails on the second Primary Children's Hospital charity afghan. I got quite a few done (though admittedly there are probably 50 still to go.)
Sunday was a very special knit-together indeed. For over a year now, I've had the good luck to gather and knit on a weekly basis at my LYS with one of the most marvelous groups of people. Now, obviously, knitters tend to be a great bunch of people in general, but these folks have always far outstripped my expectations by invariably being cool, funny, smart, enthusiastic, irreverant, and supportive, just to throw a few of their many positive attributes around.
Some of The Regulars wish Kim farewell
On Sunday we all came together to bid farewell to one of our own. Kim will very soon be
Speaking of which, here is a photo of Kim on the last leg of the baby-blanket-a-thon:
It's looking great, Kim!
The complete set of photos from our lovely afternoon can be seen here. Ah, why can't every day be as nice?
Oh, and I spent much of my afternoon subtly convincing my fellow knitters that they all need to knit themselves a Rogue, employing top secret Jedi knitting mind tricks like the one seen here:
I see that your
Note to self: the human head is bigger than you're thinking. When you pick up stitches for a hood, please don't delude yourself into thinking, "Hey, I'm almost done!" You most assuredly are not.
I leave you with a picture of the mountains near my home. They were looking so spectacularly beautiful as I drove home from Kim's house that I kept trying to take pictures of them while driving. Since I just kept pointing the camera in the general direction without looking through the viewfinder or anything, most of the pics failed miserably, but I thought this one conveyed a little bit of the sights I was enjoying. And I do solemnly swear that I will put the camera down and drive next time. But it was just so purty!
Above the Fruited Plains
posted by Andrea at
12:55 AM
